India PM appeals for Delhi calm

23 December 2012 Last updated at 23:59 ET

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There is continuing anger in India over the number of sexual assaults on women

Indian PM Manmohan Singh has appealed for calm in the capital, Delhi, following violent protests over the gang rape of a woman.

Mr Singh said his government would "make all possible efforts to ensure security and safety to all women".

More than 100 people were hurt in clashes at the weekend - police say at least 60 officers were injured.

The rape, which happened on a bus in Delhi and left the woman in a critical condition, has caused outrage in India.

The government has tried to halt the rising anger by announcing a series of measures intended to make Delhi safer for women.

These include more police night patrols, checks on bus drivers and their assistants and the banning of buses with tinted windows or curtains.

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It took nearly a week of protests for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to appear on TV pleading for calm"

End Quote

But the protesters say the government's pledge to seek life sentences for the attackers is not enough - many are calling for the death penalty.

Six people, including the bus driver, have already been arrested in connection with the incident.

'Justified anger'

In a short televised address to the nation on Monday, Mr Singh said: "I appeal to all concerned citizens to maintain peace and calm. I assure you we will make all possible efforts to ensure security and safety of women in this country."

Earlier on Sunday, Mr Singh said in a statement that he felt "deeply sad at the turn of events leading to clashes between protesters and police forces".

"We are all joined in our concern for the young woman who was the victim of a heinous crime in Delhi," he said.

Mr Singh said there was "genuine and justified anger and anguish at this ghastly incident".

The condition of the young woman continues to be critical, doctors say.

She underwent surgery on Sunday to halt an infection and was put back on life support.

On Sunday, riot police in Delhi used tear gas and batons to keep demonstrators, mainly college students, from marching on President Pranab Mukherjee's palace for a second day, despite a ban on protests.

Violence erupted as demonstrators tried to break through police barricades to march on the palace.

The 23-year-old victim and her friend had been to watch a film when they boarded the bus in the Munirka area intending to travel to Dwarka in south-west Delhi.

Police said she was raped for nearly an hour, both she and her companion were beaten with iron rods and thrown out of the moving bus into a Delhi street.

Police figures show that, in Delhi, a rape is reported on average every 18 hours and some form of sexual attack every 14 hours.

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Afghan policewoman kills US aide

24 December 2012 Last updated at 04:38 ET

A woman wearing an Afghan police uniform has killed a US civilian employee of the international security forces in the country, Nato says.

It is believed to be the first such insider attack carried out by a woman.

In a separate incident, at least six local policemen were killed by another officer in northern Afghanistan.

There has been a rise in incidents in which Afghan security forces members have shot dead either foreign personnel or their own colleagues.

In Monday's attack in Kabul, Afghan officials say, a female officer at the interior ministry came looking for the police chief at the heavily secured headquarters.

The US adviser was thought to have been on his way to a canteen when she shot him with her pistol.

The attacker has been detained. Officials say they suspect she has links with the Taliban.

Initial reports suggested the victim was a military adviser, but Nato's Isaf force later described him as "a civilian employee" of Isaf.

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Bilal Sarwary BBC News, Kabul

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This recent "green-on-blue" incident in the Kabul police headquarters highlights the concern about whether Afghan and Nato forces can work together after most foreign troops leave the country in the next two years.

After 2014 Nato will primarily be on a training mission requiring close working relations and trust between Afghan forces and foreign troops.

Such attacks raise more questions about whether such a close relationship is feasible.

The incident is under investigation, the statement added.

More than 50 members of the Nato-led force in Afghanistan have been killed by male Afghan troops or police this year.

In Monday's other incident, a local policeman killed at least six colleagues in the remote Khosh Tepa district in Jowzjan province.

Afghan local police forces are recruited from villages, and often include former insurgents.

A spokesman for the Taliban told the BBC the rogue policemen in Khosh Tepa had been a Taliban infiltrator for some time.

In September the US suspended training for local police recruits because of such "insider attacks".

It said it was carrying out checks on whether recruits had links to the Taliban.

Training Afghan security forces is an essential part of Nato's strategy before foreign combat troops pull out in 2014.

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Egypt awaits referendum results

24 December 2012 Last updated at 04:50 ET

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Opposition spokesman Amr Hamzawy: "We are asking the commission to investigate the irregularities"

Egypt is due to announce the official results of a referendum on a controversial draft constitution.

Early unofficial results suggested more than 60% of voters said "yes" to the document, which is endorsed by Islamist President Mohammed Morsi.

But the opposition, which says the draft favours Islamists, is demanding an inquiry into alleged voting fraud.

Egypt has seen large and occasionally violent demonstrations by the opposing sides in the past few weeks.

If the constitution passes, elections must take place within two months and the deep polarisation in the country is likely to continue, the BBC's Bethany Bell in Cairo reports.

In the meantime, legislative powers will pass to parliament's upper chamber, the Islamist-controlled Shura Council.

'Vote for stability'

State media reports of the results following Saturday's second and final round of the referendum suggest that some 63% of voters had backed the charter. Turnout was low, estimated at 30%.

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"Start Quote

There's a lot at stake here. This document determines Egypt's future and the relationship between Egyptians and the presidency among the other main institutions."

End Quote

But the opposition National Salvation Front said on Sunday the vote had been marred by "fraud and violations".

These included polling stations opening late and Islamists seeking to influence voters, they said.

Spokesman Amr Hamzawy told a news conference the front as "asking the commission to investigate the irregularities before announcing official results".

However, another spokesman, Khaled Daoud, told the BBC the front would not contest the result.

The group has complained that there was not enough legal supervision of the referendum, after many judges boycotted the process.

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Constitution at a glance

• Sharia remains the main source of legislation
• Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's leading authority, to be consulted on "matters related to Sharia"
• Christianity and Judaism to be the main source of legislation for Christians and Jews
• Religious freedom to be limited to Muslims, Christians and Jews
• Limits president to two four-year terms of office

The opposition said before the referendum that its campaign would continue in the wake of a "Yes" vote.

But the Freedom and Justice Party, the political wing of Mr Morsi's Muslim Brotherhood, said it hoped the "yes" vote would begin to heal divisions and bring stability.

It remains to be seen whether the announcement of the final results of the referendum will be delayed to allow an investigation of the opposition's claims, our correspondent says.

Critics of the draft constitution fails say it fails to protect the freedoms and human rights that they sought in the uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's rule last year.

They accuse the president of pushing through a text that favours Islamists and does not sufficiently protect the rights of women or Christians, who make up about 10% of the population.

President Morsi's mainly Islamist supporters say the constitution will secure democracy and encourage stability.

The latest unrest began after Mr Morsi issued a decree on 22 November stripping the judiciary of the power to challenge his decisions.

After an outcry, the president revoked much of the decree, but he refused to back down on the draft constitution.

The text was rushed through by a constituent assembly dominated by Islamists.

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UN envoy in fresh Syria peace bid

24 December 2012 Last updated at 06:00 ET

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Unverified footage of the aftermath of the air strike shows chaos and panic

International peace envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has held talks with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus, in a fresh bid to end the conflict.

Mr Brahimi said they discussed "many steps to be taken in the future", but he did not elaborate.

On Sunday, opposition activists said dozens of people had been killed in a government air strike in the rebel-held town of Halfaya in Hama province.

Syrian state media blamed a "terrorist group" for the attack.

Mr Brahimi drove into Syria from Beirut on Sunday, after fighting closed Damascus airport.

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Jim Muir BBC News, Beirut

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The main activist groups put the number of dead from the Halfaya incident at more than 90. But they named or otherwise identified only 23 of them, all men.

Several video sequences of the incident and the collection and burial of victims also showed only the bodies of adult males, despite assertions that many women and children were at the site when it was hit. However, crowds outside bakeries are often largely composed of men.

It is not conclusively evident from the footage that the targeted building was a bakery.

With independent investigation and reporting not possible, it is not out of the question that regime jets managed to strike a concentration of rebel fighters - though the activist account of a bakery being hit may well be true.

The government itself made no claim of having struck rebels in that area, but it does not acknowledge the use of its air power in the struggle.

"I had the honour to meet the president and as usual we exchanged views on the many steps to be taken in the future," he said after meeting President Assad on Monday.

It is the third visit to Damascus by Mr Brahimi since he was appointed joint UN-Arab League envoy to Syria in August.

However, he has made little progress on a peace process so far and it is unclear what new ideas he may be bringing.

Rebels have been fighting President Bashar al-Assad for 21 months, with opposition groups saying more than 44,000 people have been killed.

In the latest violence, activists said a government air strike had struck a bakery in Halfaya on Sunday.

They put the number of dead at more than 90, but the BBC's Juir in neighbouring Lebanon says they named or otherwise identified only 23 of them - all men.

One activist in Halfaya, Samer al-Hamawi, told Reuters news agency: "There is no way to really know yet how many people were killed. When I got there, I could see piles of bodies all over the ground.

"We hadn't received flour in around three days so everyone was going to the bakery today, and lots of them were women and children. I still don't know yet if my relatives are among the dead."

Syrian state TV blamed an "armed terrorist group" for the attack, saying the group had then filmed the incident to blame it on government troops.

Five days ago the rebel Free Syrian Army declared Halfaya a "liberated area" after taking over army positions there.

Our correspondent says the rebels want to take control of the whole of Hama and link up the territory they control.

As has happened many times before, he adds, the government has hit back with massive firepower at the areas it has lost.

The UK-based activist group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), said there had been other air strikes on Sunday, including one on the town of Safira in northern Aleppo province, which killed 13 people.

It said more than 180 people had been killed across the country on Sunday.

The SOHR is one of the most prominent organisations documenting and reporting incidents and casualties in the Syrian conflict. The group says its reports are impartial, though its information cannot be independently verified.

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Fire sweeps through Kabul market

22 December 2012 Last updated at 22:28 ET

At least six hundred shops have been destroyed by a fire which swept through a market in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

No-one was injured in the blaze but the fire destroyed much of the goods on sale and forced traders to flee, says the BBC's Bilal Sarwary in the city.

Kabul's main money exchange, which is located within the market, was evacuated before the fire reached it.

The blaze was tackled by Afghan firefighters and police, as well as Nato forces.

The market is located less than a kilometre from the presidential office and several key Afghan ministries and is normally crowded during the day, says our correspondent.

As the fire approached the money market, traders moved hundreds of thousands of dollars to safety in waiting police vans. Shopkeepers also removed their stocks of gold from the nearby gold market.

There was no indication the fire had been caused by a bomb attack.

Kabul's police chief said the watchman who had been guarding the market had disappeared.

Gen Ayub Salangi told the BBC his officers were looking for the man.

The emergency services say it is possible the fire may reignite, and so they are keeping a close watch, our correspondent reports.

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Tendulkar quits one-day cricket

Record-breaking India batsman Sachin Tendulkar has retired from one-day international cricket.

In a statement, the 39-year-old said:  "I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup-winning Indian team."

• 1973 - Born in Mumbai on 24 April
• 1989 - Makes Test debut for India against Pakistan
• 1990 - Scores first Test century, against England
• 1998 - Scores first double century for Mumbai against Australia
• 2005 - Passes Sunil Gavaskar's record of highest number of Test centuries
• 2008 - Becomes the highest run-scorer in Test cricket, passing West Indies' Brian Lara's mark of 11,953
• 2010 - Becomes the most capped player in Test history
• 2011 - Hits his 99th international century in an ODI against South Africa in March
• 2012 - Scores his 100th international century in ODI v Bangladesh

The 'Little Master' made his one-day debut in 1989 and collected 463 caps.

He excelled in the 50-over format and became the world's top run-scorer with 18,426 at an average of 44.83, including a record 49 centuries.

His last one-day international game was in the Asia Cup on 18 March, in which he scored 52 in a six-wicket win against Pakistan.

His form has dipped in recent years, however, and his average in one-day cricket in 2012 fell to 31.5, a figure that was boosted by a knock of 114 in his penultimate innings against lesser lights Bangladesh which was his 100th on the international stage.

Tendulkar added: "The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early and in right earnest. I would like to wish the team all the very best for the future.

"I am eternally grateful to all my well-wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years."

Cricket World Cup win 'proudest moment'

Tendulkar, who made himself unavailable for India's Twenty20 matches after playing just one game in 2006, has faced calls to retire from all international competition from former national captain Sourav Ganguly  after several poor performances with the bat in the recent Test series against England.

Tendulkar's 23-year ODI career, which began with ducks in his first two appearances, included his becoming the first batsman to score a double century in that form of the game against South Africa two years ago, while he was the top scorer in the 2003 World Cup where India were losing finalists.

He then excelled in India's successful 2011 World Cup campaign, scoring two centuries and averaging 48.2 in the tournament as co-hosts India won the final in his home city of Mumbai against Sri Lanka.

India spinner Harbhajan Singh saluted his colleague on Twitter:  "Sachin Tendulkar, a great batsman. Great human being. A great friend. Great man to look up to. Proud Indian. Real son of India. I salute you and love you."

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Egyptian constitution 'approved'

23 December 2012 Last updated at 04:06 ET

Egyptians appear to have approved a controversial new constitution in a referendum, unofficial and preliminary results indicate.

Results reported by state media suggest that some 63% of voters backed the charter over two rounds of polling.

Critics say the document, which has triggered mass protests, betrays the revolution that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

President Mohammed Morsi's mainly Islamist supporters say it will secure democracy and encourage stability.

Official results are not expected until Monday, after appeals are heard. If the constitution passes, parliamentary elections must take place within three months.

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Analysis

It's difficult to view the results of the referendum on the draft constitution without putting them in the context of the growing influence of Islamists in politics here in Egypt. Many of those who went out to vote did not just give their backing or voice their objection to the constitution, but also to president Morsi and his group the Muslim Brotherhood. If indeed the constitution passes it's another sign of how organised and effective Islamists are in the political process.

There's a lot at stake here. This document determines Egypt's future and the relationship between Egyptians and the presidency among the other main institutions. But the opposition say that, as it stands, the constitution is determining the future of the country on Islamists' terms.

This constitution has managed to deeply polarise the country, and it's hard to see this division going away anytime soon no matter what the result is.

Turnout was estimated at 30%. The opposition said voting in both rounds of voting had been marred by abuses.

Violations in the second round on Saturday included polling stations opening late and Islamists seeking to influence voters, the opposition said.

On Saturday, ballots were being cast in the 17 provinces that did not vote in the first round on 15 December. Some 25 million people were eligible to vote.

The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood movement, which supports Mr Morsi and the new constitution, said early on Sunday that, with most second round votes counted, more than 70% were in favour.

The opposition National Salvation Front also said the "yes" vote appeared to have won, though spokesman Khaled Daoud said the Front felt "empowered".

"We proved that at least we are half of society [that] doesn't approve of all this. We will build on it," he said.

In the first round, on 15 December, turnout was reported to be just above 30% with unofficial counts suggesting some 56% of those who cast ballots voted in favour of the draft.

Opponents have said the draft constitution fails to protect the freedoms and human rights that they sought in the uprising that ended Mr Mubarak's rule last year.

They accuse the president of pushing through a text that favours Islamists and does not sufficiently protect the rights of women or Christians, who make up about 10% of the population.

Continue reading the main story

Constitution at a glance

• Sharia remains the main source of legislation
• Al-Azhar, Sunni Islam's leading authority, to be consulted on "matters related to Sharia"
• Christianity and Judaism to be the main source of legislation for Christians and Jews
• Religious freedom to be limited to Muslims, Christians and Jews
• Limits president to two four-year terms of office

One Egyptian, 19-year-old law student Ahmed Mohammed, said he voted "yes" because Egypt "needs a constitution to be stable".

But at the same polling station in Giza, south-west of the capital, 50-year-old housewife, Zarifa Abdul Aziz, said: "I will vote 'no' a thousand times. I am not comfortable with the Brotherhood and all that it is doing".

Egypt's official state news agency Mena said that at least two judges had been removed for encouraging voters to cast "yes" ballots.

Outcry

Just hours before voting ended on Saturday, Vice-President Mahmoud Mekki announced his resignation.

Mr Mekki, a former judge who was appointed vice-president in August, said the "nature of politics" did not suit his professional background.

Over the past month, seven of President Mohammed Morsi's 17 top advisers have resigned.

Mr Mekki said he had tried to resign on 7 November, but his decision had been delayed by the Israeli conflict in Gaza and President Morsi's controversial decree on 22 November granting himself sweeping new powers.

Mr Mekki's resignation statement indicated he had no prior knowledge of the decree, which stripped the judiciary of powers to question the president's decisions.

After an outcry, the president revoked much of the 22 November decree, but he refused to back down on the draft constitution.

The text was rushed through by a constituent assembly dominated by Islamists and boycotted by liberal and left-wing members, and facing a threat of dissolution by the country's top court.

Egypt has seen large demonstrations by both sides, which have occasionally turned violent, ever since.

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N Koreans 'have 10,000km rocket'

23 December 2012 Last updated at 05:07 ET

North Korea's recent rocket launch shows it has the ability to fire a rocket more than 10,000km (6,200 miles), South Korean officials say.

The estimate, which would potentially put the Western US in range, was based on an analysis of rocket debris.

However, there was no confirmation that the North had the re-entry technology needed to deliver a missile.

Experts believe North Korea is also years away from gaining the ability to mount a nuclear bomb on a missile.

North Korea launched the Unha-3 rocket on 12 December, in defiance of sanctions and international warnings.

It was the first time the North had made successful use of a three-stage rocket to put a satellite into orbit, and observers said it appeared to mark a step towards fielding an intercontinental range ballistic missile.

"As a result of analysing the material of Unha-3 (North Korea's rocket), we judged North Korea had secured a range of more than 10,000km in case the warhead is 500-600kg," a South Korean defence ministry official told journalists.

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Charles Scanlon BBC News Asia analyst

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The South Koreans - and others - have long alleged that the North Koreans are trying to develop intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of hitting the United States. The South Korean defence ministry says its analysis of the remains of the first stage of the rocket fired on 12 December backs up that view - that North Korea has dual use technology that could potentially propel a missile onto the US mainland.

They acknowledge that there's no evidence that the North has the guidance systems or re-entry capability needed to mount an actual strike. Experts also believe that many more rocket and nuclear tests will be needed before North Korea can make a warhead small enough to fit its rockets and claim a credible nuclear delivery system.

North Korea still maintains that the latest rocket is purely part of a civilian space programme. But it also wants its frequent threats to foes and rivals to be taken seriously. A credible nuclear deterrent, from Pyongyang's perspective, would strengthen the prestige of its leader, warn off potential aggressors and enhance its negotiating position in any future talks.

'Crude'

The official said the type of oxidiser container that was found from the first stage of the rocket launch would rarely be used by countries with advanced space technology.

"Welding was crude, done manually," the official said.

South Korea would not be able to tell whether the North had the technology to achieve re-entry until debris from the second and third stages of the rocket launch was analysed, the defence ministry said.

"As the additional pieces are salvaged, we will be able to look deeper into the function and structure of North Korea's long-range rocket," an official was quoted as saying by South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

Experts believe many more rocket and nuclear tests will be necessary before North Korea can boast a credible delivery system.

North Korea insists the rocket it launched is part of a civilian space programme.

But BBC Asia analyst Charles Scanlon says the North clearly wants its threat to be taken seriously, believing this to be the best way of deterring potential aggression, boosting the prestige of its leader, and being granted equal diplomatic status.

The North has been happy declare itself a nuclear power, he adds, and it frequently threatens neighbouring countries, and the US, with massive retaliation for perceived slights.

The UN Security Council condemned this month's rocket launch.

It said it violated two UN resolutions banning Pyongyang from missile tests, passed after it conducted nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009.

The rocket was celebrated extravagantly in North Korea, with a mass rally held in the capital, Pyongyang.

The North's leader, Kim Jong-un, called for the development and launching of "a variety of more working satellites" and "carrier rockets of bigger capacity" at a banquet to mark the launch on Friday, North Korean state media reported.

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'Banquet ban' for China military

22 December 2012 Last updated at 01:24 ET

Elaborate state-funded banquets have been banned for China's top military officials, state media has reported.

The move comes after a diktat from central government earlier this month that aimed to curb extravagance and tackle corruption.

Xinhua news agency says receptions for high-ranking officers will no longer feature luxury banquets or alcohol.

The diktat, passed on 4 December, has also now sparked similar rules for civilian officials in Beijing.

The Communist Party's Central Committee, which includes civilian and military personnel, dictated eight ways that officials needed to change their working practices.

In line with the diktat, the military has now ruled out welcome banners, red carpets, floral arrangements, and souvenirs.

Officials will also no longer be allowed to stay in luxury hotels during inspection tours and vehicles will not be allowed to make excessive use of sirens.

"Military Commission officials are also required to discipline their spouses, children and subordinates and make sure they do not take bribes," the Xinhua report said.

In a separate report, Xinhua said the Beijing Municipality had become the first local authority to introduce the rules for its civilian staff.

Beijing officials on business will now have simple buffets, rather than banquets.

China's new leader Xi Jinping has repeatedly warned of unrest if corruption and perceived privilege within the Communist Party are not tackled.

The country's political leadership has been rocked by a scandal involving Bo Xilai, the former Chongqing party leader once seen as a candidate for top office.

His wife has been jailed for murdering a British businessman and he awaits trial on charges of corruption and abuse of power.

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Looting spreads across Argentina

22 December 2012 Last updated at 02:54 ET

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A policeman disperses looters after an attack to a supermarket

Two people have been killed in Argentina's third city, Rosario, as a wave of looting spreads.

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to stop hundreds of people attacking a supermarket on the outskirts of the capital, Buenos Aires.

There have been other incidents in the central city of Rosario and in the northern province of Chaco. The looting began in the south on Thursday.

The government says trade unions linked to the opposition are to blame.

Argentine television showed images of people - many of them with their faces covered - throwing stones at the police and trying to break into shops and supermarkets.

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This is probably triggered by the difficult situation the people of Argentina are facing"

End Quote Hugo Moyano Union leader

The attacks stir memories of the violence witnessed during Argentina's economic crisis in 2001 when unemployed people stormed supermarkets.

But National Security Secretary, Sergio Berni, said the looters this time had been taking plasma televisions and stereos, not food and had not been driven by poverty.

"There is a part of Argentina that wants to drive the country into chaos and violence," Mr Berni said.

"But this Argentina is not the same of 2001,"

The government has deployed 400 military police to the Patagonian ski resort of Bariloche, which witnessed the first incident of looting.

At least three supermarkets were looted there on Thursday by more than 100 people, who left with electronics, toys, clothes and food.

'Orchestrated'

Further attacks were reported in the industrial cities of Campana and Zarate, in Buenos Aires province, in Resistencia in the north and outside a Carrefour supermarket in San Fernando, on the outskirts of the capital.

Riot police managed to stop that attack but smaller stores and kiosks in the suburb were looted.

The mayor of San Fernando, Luis Andreotti, said: "This has been orchestrated. Someone has started all this to create an atmosphere of fear."

Buenos Aires province governor Daniel Scioli also says the disruption is politically motivated.

But union leader Hugo Moyano, who opposes the government's economic policies, dismissed the government's accusations.

"This is probably triggered by the difficult situation the people of Argentina are facing. I cannot imagine that this has been organised by someone," said Mr Moyano, head of the powerful CGT union.

Private banks say inflation is again rampant in the country, though government figures have it at just 9%.

The IMF has threatened the country with a "red card", meaning potential expulsion from the Fund and the G20, if it does not do more to produce reliable statistics on its inflation and GDP.

Economists say Argentina's state-centric policies are damaging its growth.

New import restrictions mean that companies are allowed to bring in only the same volume of goods as they export.

In many cases, this seems to have had a devastating impact on industrial production.

Some analysts believe Argentina could now be in technical recession.

Former Finance Minister Orlando Ferreres says the biggest concern is political.

The left-wing populism embraced by President Christina Fernandez seems, he says, to exclude considered debate and a necessary change of strategy.

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